Patient repeatedly asked for a ‘real dentist’ after seeing her in pink scrubs — his remark after she performed the extraction pushed her too far
A dentist's day is filled with routine patient interactions, but occasionally, some encounters are so unexpected or extraordinary that they're impossible to forget. Instagram user and dentist, Dr. Natasha, who goes by @nanjitwins, says one of her new patients refused to believe she was the primary dentist. In a video shared on Monday, July 27, 2026, she recalled how a man visited her for a tooth extraction but couldn't believe she was going to handle the procedure. Even after he had the work done, he made one comment that left her frustrated.
According to Dr. Natasha, her dental assistant had already seated the new patient before she walked in and introduced herself, saying, "Hi, I'm Dr. Natasha." After asking a few routine questions about his lower right tooth pain, she said the man suddenly interrupted to ask, "When is the dentist coming?" Despite telling him again that she was the professional handling his case, he continued looking her up and down before asking, "You are removing this wisdom tooth?" The interaction didn't end there. After the extraction was complete, he joked, "So you actually are the dentist." After sharing her identity and credentials with him thrice, it no longer felt like a joke. Instead, it seemed like a targeted attempt to demean and mock her.
The patient had been reassured several times. She even pointed out that the title "Dr." was written on her bright pink scrubs. Although she admitted she was "fuming" inside, she tried to stay calm and chose professionalism. It left her with the bitter reminder that some people still judge professionals based on how they look or what they wear. She even pointed out that he might have made a sexist assumption about her since she was a woman, or maybe because she was a young healthcare worker. She later jokingly encouraged her fellow medical workers to wear their "brightest, pinkest scrubs," just to point out that intelligence and qualifications have nothing to do with clothing.
In the comments, many viewers sympathized with Dr. Natasha. @mishadilma wrote, "It was never a joke." @sammysneed asked, "Are you allowed to tell them that they are welcome to go to another clinic to see another dentist?" Meanwhile, fellow doctor @easypzeyes commented, "Always proud to wear my pink scrubs and flaunt my feminine smart doctor self!" Rude patient interactions are dilemmas that healthcare professionals often deal with. Previously, a nurse shared how a man noticed stickers on her badge that she wore to make all kinds of patients feel safe, irrespective of their backgrounds. He automatically spotted the rainbow one and assumed she might be a lesbian. Although she immediately thought of a witty comeback, she chose to stay professional and keep the response to herself.
You can follow @nanjitwins for more such content on Instagram.